Miracle of Science

Overview: We ended up at Miracle of Science by accident, but it must have been fate. Our plan was to go to the CBC pumpkin beerfest but at 6pm the line was wrapped around the block. With some quick thinking and step by step directions courtesy of a Blackberry, we found our selves at the casual Central Square bar.

The menu at Miracle of Science is very simple. They serve burgers, chicken sandwiches, skewers and quesadillas. The menu obviously doesn't change often because it is written on the chalk board as an effigy of the periodic table of elements. The beer list is also small but well thought out and made up of beers from local breweries.

Medium Dead:  The server warned us that the burgers tend to be on the red side which was fine with me. I ordered the basic burger rare with cheddar and mayo. The first impression was pretty disappointing as the patty was thin with an undersized piece of cheese melted in the middle. The roll was also huge and untoasted. I am glad we eat with our mouths and not our eyes because the taste outshines the presentation. The roll is a big soft bakery roll with a nice crusty outside. The burger was cooked perfectly despite being thin and was surprisingly juicy.  The roasted potatoes and savory tomato chutney are a nice change from the norm.

Medium Well: After my dreadful experience at RF O'Sullivans, I have taken on a new practice of ordering my burger "with the slightest trace of pink" instead of relying on the ambiguous terms of Medium or Medium-Well. I am glad I let the waitress translate my request into chef-speak (she encouraged me to order medium-well), because it came out, sure enough, with the slightest trace of pink. I ordered the Ronie, which had jalapenos inside the burger and was topped with pepper jack cheese. It was good, but not good enough to keep my interest after more than a few bites. A few weeks from now, I probably won't remember anything distinguishing about this burger. What I will not forget however, is the quesadilla. It's such a simple quesadilla - cheese, tortilla, tomato salsa - but yet another example of how high-quality low-quantity ingredients always prevail. Two lightly grilled flour tortillas were filled with a mild-flavored cheese, and a bowl of garden salsa topped with a dollop of sour cream was served on the side. When spooned on top of the quesadilla, the salsa completed a pairing that would make even Rick Bayless proud.

The Verdict: The choices are limited but the food is good.  Check out Miracle of Science because they understand what they do well and stick to it.